The 2024 Crisis Intervention Team graduating class includes, from left, Paul Smith of Washingtonville Police Department, Peer Supporter Glen McMillin of the Columbiana County Mobile Crisis Response Team, Alyssa Hilderbrand of Leetonia Police Department, Nathaniel Kramer of Perry Township Police Department, Eric Buday of Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office, Karl Toy of Salem Police Department, Lori Colian of the Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, Rachel Hammond of FCI Elkton, Hunter Maze of East Liverpool Police Department, Joshua Knisley of FCI Elkton, Anthony Monteleone of East Palestine Police Department, Troy Butler of East Liverpool Police Department, Donald Johnson of East Palestine Police Department, Anthony Gentry of Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office and Jay Lane of East Liverpool Police Department. (Submitted photo)

LISBON — Fifteen law enforcement officers, correction officers, and behavioral health staff completed Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training and were honored at a luncheon at Ezio’s Italian Restaurant in Salem on May 7.

CIT is a 40-hour course, sponsored locally by the Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board with support from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, that teaches officers skills needed to more effectively respond to calls involving individuals with mental illness and/or substance use disorders. The class was hosted this year by the St. Clair Township Police Department and was held in the Township Administration Building’s Community Room.

The goals of the CIT program are:

–To improve safety during law enforcement encounters with people experiencing a mental health crisis, for everyone involved.

–To increase connections to effective and timely mental health services for people in mental health crisis.

–To use law enforcement strategically during crisis situations – such as when there is an imminent threat to safety or a criminal concern – and increase the role of mental health professionals, peer support specialists, and other community supports.

–To reduce the trauma that people experience during a mental health crisis and thus contribute to their long-term recovery.

Throughout the week, officers learned more about mental illness and substance abuse, practiced de-escalation and active listening, learned more about topics such as use of force, civil commitments, officer self-care, suicide prevention, human trafficking, geriatric issues, veteran concerns, individuals with developmental disabilities, domestic violence and protection orders, local drug trends, and youth trauma, and were given a wealth of information about local resources that are available.

Presenters included Maureen Waybright, Lori Colian, and Jennifer Whitman of the Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board; Kelli Hephner of Heroes and Halos and the First Responder Wellness Coordinator; Robert Sanchez, a CIT officer, Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office deputy, and member of the First Responder Wellness Peer Team; Tina Deal-Hendon of Children’s Services; Steve Ullom of Family and Children First Council; Chad Jakubowski, Jaimie Rice, Mark Stillion, and Darren Griffith of the Counseling Center; Anthony Watt, Shawna Lewis and Miranda Abel of Family Recovery Center; Peer Supporters Jaime Urmson and Glen McMillin; Amy Creaturo-Moore of Adult Protective Services; Brittany Tyler, Jody Wisbith, and Chris Talbert of Community Action Agency; Nicole Miller of New Day/On Demand Counseling; Megan Pryor Hazelet of Help Network of Northeast Ohio; Erica Como of the Peer Resource and Recovery Center; Jesse Smith of the Columbiana County Drug Task Force; Victim Advocate Elaine Kloss; Amy Bordonaro of Rahab Ministries; Krista Peddicord and Bret Hartup of the Columbiana County Prosecutor’s Office; Tim Wires; Cassandra Valentini of Direction Home of Eastern Ohio; Holly Adams and Erin Anthony of the Columbiana County Board of Developmental Disabilities; and Mark Edwards of Columbiana Police Department.

The 2024 CIT graduates include Nathaniel Kramer of Perry Township Police Department; Alyssa Hilderbrand of Leetonia Police Department; Karl Toy of Salem Police Department; Jay Lane, Hunter Maze, and Troy Butler of East Liverpool Police Department; Anthony Monteleone and Donald Johnson of East Palestine Police Department; Paul Smith of Washingtonville Police Department; Anthony Gentry and Eric Buday of Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office; Rachel Hammond and Joshua Knisley of FCI Elkton/Bureau of Prisons; Glen McMillin, a peer supporter and member of the Columbiana County Mobile Crisis Response Team; and Lori Colian of CCMHRSB.

CCMHRSB provides the CIT training to officers annually, free of charge, and a companion course is offered for dispatchers. This most recent class brings the total number of officers, dispatchers, and civilians trained through the CCMHRSB program up to 115.

During the graduation luncheon, the CIT Champion award was presented to Kelli Hephner. Kelli is the coordinator of CCMHRSB’s First Responder Wellness Program. She also has helped to create Camp Braveheart, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing place for First Responders and their families to find healing, restoration, recreation, and resiliency through spending time in nature with like-minded peers.

She leads structured, informative support groups for first responder peers and plans fun activities for families. Recognizing a need and the toll that the stresses of the job take on coroner’s office and funeral home employees, she recently led efforts to include them in support group programming. Kelli also serves as the coordinator of the county Handle With Care program, promoting positive relationships between school staff and first responders and encouraging interaction between youth and first responders to build trust, resiliency, and connection.

Kelli Hephner was presented the CIT Champion Award for 2024. (Submitted photo)